Wilson: We’ll battle to end campaign on high
Scotland aim to right wrongs after dismal England defeat
GLASGOW and Scotland forward Ryan Wilson is determined to end the Six Nations Championship on a high against Italy this afternoon after what he called the “unacceptable” performance against England last week.
The match will be Vern Cotter’s last in charge of the national team after three years but, although the coach has insisted this game is not about him, the players know that giving him a winning send-off will be the best way of showing how much he has improved the team. That would make it three home wins out of three in the tournament. And, if Scotland get a bonus point and the other results go their way, they could finish second for the first time since the Five Nations became six back in 2000.
Scotland were forced into a late change yesterday when, just a day after being named in the team, Richie Gray was forced to pull out because of a hamstring strain. Edinburgh lock Grant Gilchrist comes straight into the starting line-up in place of the Toulouse player, while Glasgow Warriors’ Tim Swinson remains on the bench.
But, given the injury list at the start of the week, with Wilson, Stuart Hogg and Tommy Seymour among those doubtful for this game, the squad is in a far better position than it might have been – and they are all eager to prove they are a far better team than they showed in the 61-21 Calcutta Cup defeat.
“What happened last week was unacceptable in a Scotland shirt,” Wilson said. “No-one wants that to happen. We’re excited to right the wrongs, go out and put in a good performance at home.
“Three home wins is massive and we’ll be looking to do that this weekend. We’re going out all guns blazing. We need to start well and carry it on for 80 minutes.”
“At the very beginning of this campaign I said that to get three home wins would be a massive thing for us. We’re on track to get that. And if we finish second then it will be a successful campaign because we’ll finish higher than we ever have.
“We were always that team that was nearly there, nearly there. I think we’ve got over that hurdle now. We’re winning tight games and winning games where if we’re in it in the last 30 we know we can grind it out.”
They may have to grind it out against Italy, who won at Murrayfield last time out and who always target the Scottish match as the one they have the best chance of winning. “Two years ago they came here and won,” No.8 Wilson added. “They’re an ever-improving team and they always have something up their sleeve. We’ve got to treat them with respect, because they’re a good team with some fantastic individual players.”